Adhesive coated films are often used or applied to a variety of surfaces for reasons such as advertisement, decoration, protection, etc. In some instances these films may be used in place of painting to protect surfaces or to provide a uniform appearance, such as to a fleet of trucks. Regardless of their specific use, these films, which are often exposed to environmental conditions, have a finite life and must be removed prior to replacement.
Removal of these adhesive coated films presents difficulties as the films are typically very large, e.g., typically as large as 3 meters wide by 16 meters long. The adhesives used to apply the films to the substrates also typically have a relatively high adhesion, making their removal somewhat difficult. Removal is currently accomplished by hand with an individual attempting to pull the film off of the substrate. Many of the pressure sensitive adhesives used to attach the films have adhesion values with the underlying substrate in excess of 3 pounds per inch, with many an excess of five pounds per inch. As a result, it is difficult, if not impossible, for an individual to exert sufficient force to remove the entire sheet of graphics across its width at the same time.
As a result, the individual is forced to remove small sections of the film, with the film often breaking during removal because of the forces concentrated at the removal location. To assist with removal, many individuals often cut the film into strips while on the substrate and remove the strips individually. Drawbacks to this approach however include the potential for damage to the underlying substrate as well as the additional labor required to cut the film prior to removal.